Transition lenses

[hoyaguru]

My wife is going to get new glasses, and is considering transition lenses. She has heard pros and cons about them, can anyone clarify the following:

1. Do the lenses get dark while driving? She heard that they don't, because they do not get direct sunlight.

2. Do the lenses take a long time to lighten when you go indoors, coming from bright sunlight? Is she going to be stumbling around blind for half a minute?

3. Do the lenses get dark enough for sun sensitive eyes?

Thanks in advance, any help is appreciated.

 

[BoomerD]

I've worn transitions for years. I like them. Not quite as dark as real sunglasses, but better than clip-ons.

Mine get plenty dark while driving.

I've never actually timed them, but mine lighten up fairly quickly when I go inside.

If she has sun-sensitive eyes, she'd better talk to her optometrist. IMO, NO, they're not really dark enough for sun-sensitive eyes. (depending on HOW sensitive she is.)

 

[pontifex]

mine don't seem to get dark while driving, or at least not as dark as I'd like.
they'll be dark for a few minutes after coming inside.
i doubt they'll be good enough for # 3

 

[ScottyB]

Had them for many years. This time I got a pair of glasses and a pair of sunglasses. It is a lot better.

 

[AlienCraft]

I've worn transitions for years. I like them. Not quite as dark as real sunglasses, but better than clip-ons.

Mine get plenty dark while driving.

I've never actually timed them, but mine lighten up fairly quickly when I go inside.

If she has sun-sensitive eyes, she'd better talk to her optometrist. IMO, NO, they're not really dark enough for sun-sensitive eyes. (depending on HOW sensitive she is.)

I like mine in this manner, as well.

 

[DanTMWTMP]

I had transitions for a few years now. I can never go back. Mine never gets dark while driving though; even in direct sunlight. I'd have to open my windows and stick my head out for them to start getting dark.

 

[0roo0roo]

they don't get dark enough outside or light enough inside last i checked. a mediocre compromise.

 

[mjrpes3]

transition contact lenses are coming soon (maybe within the year):

http://www.technologyreview.com/biomedicine/23922/page1/

me wants!

EDIT: and for those of you worried that the effect will be unsettling to people looking at your eyes, they are tweaking things so it only darkens in the cornea area.

 

[squirtle24]

1. The lenses become dark when exposed to UV light. I thought all car windows block UV light; mine certainly do, so my glasses don't darken at all while in the car.

2. For my glasses, going from fully darkened lenses to fully clear lenses takes over 5 minutes. It takes like 20 or 30 seconds going the other way, though. If I go inside where there's poor lighting, then yeah, it's a bit hard to see at first.

3. They won't be nearly as dark as really dark sunglasses, but I find them good enough, as I don't spend a lot of time in the sun anyway. Depends on how sensitive your eyes are, too.

 

[esun]

I had them for awhile and did not like them. They were a bad compromise: decent at being regular glasses, decent at being sunglasses, but not great at either (sometimes too dark indoors, almost never dark enough outdoors). I now have a pair of regular glasses and a pair of sunglasses and I prefer this much more.

 

[dr150]

My optometrist basically said they aren't a FULL replacement to sunglasses.

It's a good option to have for flexibility sake, but don't expect all the goodness that a good pair of sunglasses can give you.

 

[Anonemous]

(don't get them) If you need sunglasses get prescription sunglasses. I got a pair for driving and general outdoor use.
They don't get as dark as you imagine them to and when you are in the car, the windshield/side windows block some part of the light spectrum which activates the transition lenses so even if you are staring at the sun while in the car they never darken.

 

[MotF Bane]

They're terrible, and I will not own another pair.

 

[pontifex]

I never had a problem with them indoors, as being too dark while indoors. they do seem to cut down on some of the brightness on certain things like indoor lights and computer screens though.

 

[sourceninja]

I had a pair last year. They would not darken while driving. Worked great otherwise except for the fact I really only want sun glasses while driving.

This year I went with a pair of regular glasses and a pair of sun glasses.